Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-07-06
q Serial Starp.
j E = g.

E y -.
BY H. RIDER HAGGARD,
AUTHOR OF. "K1Na soLoMoN's MINES,
"sHE," ETC, ETC.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE SHADOW OF DEATH.
The firing from the bank had ceased, and
John, who still kept his head being a rather
phlegmatic specimen Of the Anglo-Saxon
race), realized that, for the moment at any
rate, oil danger from that source was ended.
jess lay perfectly still in his arms, her head
upon his breast; and horrible idea struck
him that she might be shot-perhaps already
dead!
sJess, Jess, p he shouted, through the tur.
mol OF the storm, @are you all right?"
She lifted her head an inch or two---!aI
think so, she said. q s4Wh hat is going ong's
God only knows, dor,t ait still II win
be all square
But in his heart he knew that it was not
aaA square," and that they were in imminent
danger Of death from drowning. They were
whirling down raging river in cart. In a
few moments it was probable that the cart
would upset, and then
Presently the wheel bumped against some
thing, and the cart gave great lurch and
then scraped along little.
aNow for it" thought John; for the water
was pouring over the flooring. Then came a
check, and the cart leaned still farther over.
Crack! The pole had gone, and the cart
swung round bows, or rather box, on to the
stream What had happened was this: They
bad stuck across rock that projected up
from the bed Of the river, the force of the
current having washed the dead horses to the
one side and the cart to the other. Conse.
quently they were anchored to the rock, as it
were, the anchor being the dead horses and
the cable the stout traces Of untanned leather.
So long as these traces and the rest Of the
harness held they were, comparatively speak.
ing, safe; but Of course they did not know
this. Indeed, they knew nothing. Above
them rolled the storm, and round them the
waters seethed and the rain Kissed. They
knew nothing except that they were helpless
living atoms, tossing between the wild waters
and the wilder night, with imminent death
staring them in the face, around, above and
below. To and fro they swung, locked fast
in each others arms, and as they did so came
that awful flash that, though they knew it
not, sent two Of the murderers to their
account, andfor an instant, even through the
sheet of rain, illumined the space of boiling
water and the long lines Of the banks on
either side. 1t showed the point of rock to
which they were fixed, 1t glared upon the
head of one Of the poor horses, tossed up by
the driving current, as though it were trying
to rise from its watery death, and revealed
the form Of the dead Zulu, Mouti, lying on
his face, one arm hanging over the edge OF
the cart and dabbling in the water that ran
level with it, in CHASTITY similarity to some
idle passenger in pleasure boat who lets his
fingers slip softly through the stream.
In a second it was gone, and they were
once more in darkness. But then by degrees
the storm passed of and the moon began to
shine, feebly indeed, for the sky was not
clear washed of clouds, which still trailed
along in the tracks Of the tempest, sucked
after it by its mighty draaght Still it was
lighter, and the rain gradually thinned till at
last it stopped. The storm had passed in
majesty down the ways of the night, and
there was no sound round them but the sound
Of rushing water. 3, SOS
4John," said jess, presently, acan we do
anything?n ....rs
6Nothing, deari' 1s'F'
aShall we escape, John2"
He hesitated. ut is in Gods hands, dear.
We are in great danger Il the cart upsets
we shall be drowned. Can you swim9"
mo, john"
aIf we can hang on here till daylight we
may get ashore if those devils are not there
to shoot us. do not think that our chance
Is good one"
"John, are you afraid to die?"
He hesitated. II don't know, dear.
hope to meet it like man."
GTell me what you truly think Is there
any hope for US at ALI"
Once more he paused, refecting whether or
not be should speak the truth. Finally he de-
cided to do so.
II can see none, Jess If we are not
drowned we are sure to be shot. They will
wait about the bank till morningr and for
their own sakes they will not dare to let US
live"
He did not know that all that was left OF
two of them would indeed wait for many
long year, and that the third had fled
aghast
aJess, dear" he went on, ut is no good to
tell lies. Our lives may end any minute.
Humanity speaking, they must end before the
sun is up"
The words were awful enough-if the
reader can by an effort Of the imagination
throw himself for moment into the position
of these two, he will, perhaps understand
how awful It is dreadful thing, when in
the full flow of health and youth, to be sud-
denly plnced face to face with the certainty
Of violent death and to know that in few
more minutes your course will have been
run, and that you will have commenced to
explore the future, which may prove to be
even worse, because more enduring, than the
life you are now quitting in agony. 1t is
dreadful thing, as any who have ever stood
in such peril can testify, and John felt his
heart sink within him at the thought-for
death is very strong But there is one thing
stronger-a woman's perfect love. Against
this death cannot prevail. And so it came to
pass that now, us he fixed his cold gaze upon
Jess eyes, they answered him with strange,
unearthly light She feared not death so
that she might meet with her beloved.
Death was her hope and opportunity. Here
she had none; there she might have all-or
sleep. The fetters had fallen from her,
struck off by ali overmastering hand. Her
duty was satisfied, her trust was fulfilled and
she was free-frec to died with her beloved.
All! her love was, indeed, love deeper than
the grave; and now it rose in all its strength,
standing tiptoe upon the earth, ready, when
dissolution had lent its wings, to soar GLOVES
own star.
"You are sure, John?" she asked again.
eyes, dear, yes. Why do you force me to
repeat ita can see no hope"
Her arms were round his neck, her soft
curls rested on his cheek, and the heath from
her lips played upon his face. Indeed, it was
only by speaking into each others ears that
conversation was feasible, owing to the rush
ing sound Of the waters.
because have something to tell you which
cannot tell unless we are going to die. You
know it, but 1 want to say it with my own
lips before die. I love you, John; l love
YOU, love you; and am glad to die because
I can die with you and go away with you"
r,>(1NI||I|,{;&{1X{>&&1< r'>(1>NI||I|,{;{1,,X
8lA(Ill4k!sA llsksAAf